ABSTRACT
Living standards have been markedly improved by illumination in the dark and communication skill by means of recording and reading information on various media. Illumination by light has evolved from wood fires, to torch flames, the burning of oil, candles, gas flames, incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), combined with photoluminescence (PL) from phosphor particles. By improving illumination, life’s activities are significantly prolonged into the night hours, especially by application of PL light from phosphor screens. Life’s activities are supported by communication with others. Communication of information has evolved from the faces of rock cliffs, to the walls of cave, clay tablets, parchment, wood and bamboo plates, sheets of paper, magnetic tapes (and disks), and electronic chips. Electronic devices have significantly increased the speed of the communication of information. Information stored on tapes and chips in electronic devices (e.g., TV sets and computers) are invisible to the human eye. Display devices have been developed as an interface between human and electronic devices for the visualization of invisible information in electronic devices. The images on display devices are illustrated on screens by cathodoluminescence (CL) or photoluminescence (PL) from phosphor screens. A good understanding of the generation of CL and PL from phosphor screens becomes an important subject in modern-day activities. This book discusses in detail the optimization of CL and PL generation in the tiny phosphor particles (4 to 5 µm) that comprise the phosphor screen. Notwithstanding, we thoroughly discuss CL in an effort to clarify the ambiguities in CL generation and practices; the results are directly applicable to practical PL.
